


I want to tell you this story without having to confess anything

by outboxed (fallencrest)



Category: X-Men (Movies), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) - Fandom, X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: M/M, Post-Movie(s), Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-10
Updated: 2014-06-10
Packaged: 2018-02-04 04:46:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1765969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fallencrest/pseuds/outboxed
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There is a man stood under the floodlights at the mansion gates, soaked to the skin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I want to tell you this story without having to confess anything

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for the poetry prompts ficathon in 2011 and posted [there](http://sister-wife.livejournal.com/7323.html?thread=41371#t41371) \- but it works as a post-DOFP reunion fic as well as it did for post-First Class.

He shows up outside the mansion one day. One night, actually. It's dark and it's rainy and this is not his usual style. Charles would have expected a fully costumed entrance, Magneto floating down from the clouds as though he was descending from some higher heaven; instead, there is a man stood under the floodlights at the mansion gates, soaked to the skin. (Does this remind you of anything?)

He buzzes the intercom but doesn't say anything. Charles heard him from a mile away, Erik's sure, and there are all sorts of things he'd rather not say. He doesn't want to say, _it's me, it's Erik. I've come back now, at last. Things can be as they were. I want redemption this time._ and he doesn't want to say _Every time I took the helmet off, I could hear you calling, and I wanted to run to you - wanted it more badly than I've wanted anything (except maybe revenge) - and I heard you again tonight for the first time in a long time and I couldn't keep my feet from taking me back to you._

There are so many things he doesn't want to say: so, he doesn't say any of them. He just waits until the gates open up, and he follows the light towards the big front door. 

The door yawns open in front of him, and he can see Charles in the doorway. He doesn't gasp out the word _Charles_ or say _I love you, I love—_ or _I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I need you, I need this, I can't—_

With Charles, he doesn't have to. He sees it in Charles' eyes, hears it in the way Charles says "welcome home". 

He hopes then, one day, that he'll want to say everything that's pressing at his skin and crowding in on his teeth trying to get out, not because Charles needs to hear the words from his mouth but because he wants to say them, wants to prove to Charles that he can admit everything, that he can give Charles all of himself - the truth - freely and willingly, without the need for Charles to steal in on his thoughts like a thief because he can't trust Erik to say what he means.

For now though, Erik just stands there, in the eaves of the mansion, water dripping from his hair and the tips of his fingers, and hopes it's enough.


End file.
